Improvement in invalid bedsteads



B. POLLARD;

Improvement in Invalid Bedsteads.

No. 131,903. Patented 0ct.1,18;72".

es I I Invmgbr each end and upon each side.

UNITED STATES BENJAMIN POLLARD, OF DUTCH FLAT, CALIFORNIA.

IMPROVEMENT IN INVALID BEDSTEADS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,903, dated October 1, 1872.

To all whom it mag concern:

Be it known that I, BENJAMIN POLLARD, of Dutch Flat, Placer county, State of Gali- =fornia,ahave invented an Improved Invalid Bedstead; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawing 1 are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains to make and use my said invention or improvement without further invention or experiment.

My invention relates to improvements in I that class of bedsteads which are used in hospitals and for invalids; and it consists of a novel construction by which the bed can be adjusted to suit the convenience of the invalid, and to turn him from side to side, as desired. I a

In order to more fully illustrate and explain my invention, reference is had to the accompanyin g drawing forming a part of this specification, in which- Figurel is a longitudinal vertical section of my bedstead, and Fig. 2. is a plan view.

A represents the side rails, and B G the head and foot board, of an ordinary bedstead. To the lower inside edge of the head-board I hinge a frame, D, which, when turned up horizontally, will fit inside of the lower edge side rails and foot-board. The free end of this I bottom consists of a flame, F, across which a cord' can be stretched in the ordinary man-- ner of cording a bed, or some other of the usual spring bottoms can be placed upon it. The frame Fis supported upon the under hinged frame D by spiral springs g 9, near Upon the frame F I place a stretcher, which consists of two jointed side rails,.h h. These rails lie upon the side rails of the frame F, and are connected by a piece of canvas or cloth, I, which will rest upon the cording or mattress beneath. The rails h h are made in two parts,

which are hinged together at the middle, so that either end may be raised independent of the other. A sliding ferrule, j, serves to fix this joint when it is desired to have the rails rigid. A rack-bar, K, is arranged to move vertically in ways just inside of each of the four bed-posts, the upper end of each one being loosely attached to the end of one of the stretcher rails 71. h. A transverse shaft, 0, passes across the bedstead near each end bearing in the side rails of the bed-frame, upon each of which are fixed two toothed wheels, p 0, one opposite each of the racks k, so that they willengage with the racks. One end of each of the shafts O extend out beyond the side rail, and is formed so as to receive a crank, g, by which they can be revolved. A

spring-plate, 'r, is secured to the front bed- I rail, so as to engage with grooves in the shaft 0. These grooves are three in number, U V W, and are placed at a short distance apart. The toothed wheels 10 p on each shaft are so placed that when the shafts o are drawn out so as.to allow the plate 1* to rest in the inner groovew the toothed wheel at the front side of the bed will be drawn out of gear with its rack K, while the one on the opposite side remains engaged; thus, when the shaft is revolved by the crank, the rear stretcher rail h is lifted while the front one remains stationary. By forcing the shaft 0 inward until the plate 1' engages with the middle groove V both of the rails are lifted, and when theshaft is pushed further in the near rail will be lifted while the rear one will remain stationary.

Thus it will be seen that the stretcher can I be placed in any desired position to accommodate the invalid, either to lift either end so as to raise or lower the head or feet, or either side may be lifted separately so as to turn the person in the bed, and by lowering the free end of the lower hinged frame D' the position of the bed can be changed so as to stand the patient partly on his feet so as to rest the person.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1: The combination of the bedstead A with the lower hinged frame D and bed-bottom f, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

2. In combination with the bedstead A, hinged frame D, and bed-bottom F, I claim the stretcher, consisting of the hinged side rails h h connected by the canvas I, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

3. In combination with the stretcher, consisting of the hinged side rails h h united by the canvas I, I claim the vertically-moving racks K and transverse shafts O with their toothed wheels 12 12, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

4. llhe adjustable shafts O with their toothed wheels 12 19, arranged as described, and having the grooves U V W, in combination with the spring plate or latch r, substantially as and for the purpose above described.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand and seal.

BENJAMIN POLLARD. [L. s.] Witnesses:

J. L. BOONE, 0. M. RICHARDSON, 

